Thanksgiving Weekend

We had a fun and busy Thanksgiving weekend. We had a lazy morning Thursday, then drove down to LA to Mark's brother Aaron's house. His brother Jon and family were also there, so we had 12 kids between us. It was a great, laid back day and the only thing I cooked was Dad's cheesecake, which turned out perfectly! I did miss having Dad's stuffing so I actually made it today with dinner!

Mark and I each took a turn battling black Friday crowds and got most of our shopping done. Walmart was a total bust, after fighting the throng of people I came up empty handed, but Kohl's, Target and Michaels were actually enjoyable. Mark figured out last year that the trick at Kohl's is to buy something at the jewelry counter and then you can check out there. So, I bought something inexpensive there and avoided the hour long line

to check out! For Friday evening, I had gotten discount tickets to winter wonderland at the the Ice Sports center. Mark brought all the kids (except Caleb) and a neighbor to go ice skating, play in the snow and meet Santa. They had a great time and Courtney came told me today that she thinks she has a future in ice skating! I'm sure she could, as she could have a future in anything she put her mind to!

Saturday we spent the morning working on banners for the girl scout float that will be in the Christmas parade this week. The afternoon was spent watching the BYU football game- a great one if you missed it- go Cougars! Then, Mark and I had gotten discount tickets to go to the David Archuleta Christmas concert. It was very enjoyable- his Christmas CD would be very good.

So,we had a busy and full weekend and are ready for a very busy week ahead with Christmas decorating, a visit to Meg and family, the girls in the Christmas parade, Courtney's school championship spelling bee, and all the normal activities! We get our family pictures back tomorrow, so I am excited to see them and will post some soon.

I just wanted to write a quick Happy Late Thanksgiving. We had our feast with Ryan's parents on Wednesday. It was crazy and busy because Ryan's mom likes to plan a ton of things to do in not a lot of time, but the kids had fun. The other reason in was a long and busy day was that we went to the eye doctor with Robert in the morning (his right eye has been pulling inward). We were there for 3 hours. He went through test after test. We were in 3 different waiting rooms, 5 different exam rooms and 2 different test areas. The poor kid went through everything imaginable and about half way through declared that he was not having fun anymore and needed a lifesaver to feel him better. Ultimately we were told he has accomadative esotropia. From what I understand he is farsighted and his eyes are trying to accomadate or adjust to that and his right eye is pulling in when they try to focus what he is seeing. The solution, he has to wear glasses. Most likely forever, but who knows. It may adjust as he grows and his eye changes, but we will not bank on that. He won't have his glasses for a couple weeks at least but he seems to think it will be Ok. He says that he gets to wear glasses like his grandmas and grandpas. I am not too excited that I get to fight with a three year old boy in glasses but we will survive. So, there is our family update. I shall now return to rehanging ornaments that Katelyn can not keep her hands off and picking up popcorn dropped while the boys watch the Grinch. I love you all and really missed you all on Thanksgiving and for Tree decorating.

Tis the season

With our tummies full and patience for Black Friday shopping shot, the holiday season is officially here! We had a wonderful time at Grandma and Grandpa LaVoie's this Thanksgiving before heading over to my parents house for an early evening visit. This morning, I braved the crowds, kind of, and headed to WalMart. It was so packed, it took me over an hour to get from one end of the store to the other. By the time I made it to the check out line, I realized it was going to take another hour just to check out. So I left my cart and walked out of the store empty handed. Most of the things I wanted to look at were already sold out, so I didn't have anything I couldn't get at the same price any other time. I don't think I will do that again.

We also just got a ton of wet, sticky snow in the last day or so, so we decided to get outside and play in it. Xavier and I made a snowman, but Scott had to come out and help us actually get the snowballs piled on top of each other. I think I may have made them a bit too big. After we played in the snow, we headed inside to get out the Christmas decorations. We set up our tree inside, but we have yet to put up the lights outside. That may be a project for tomorrow.

We hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and we can't wait to hear all about your holiday activities.

Go Memphis!

The past couple weeks have been busy sports weeks amongest our household. To start the week, Nathan went to a Memphis Tiger's Basketball game with his buddy Victor. Saturday the whole family went to a Memphis Tiger's Football game. One of the family's Nathan home teaches works for the athletic dept. and got us some tickets for the last home game. As not so enthusiastic I was about going, I will even admit that I had a good time. Let's just say that I didn't grow up in a football house. But I did learn a thing or two at the game. :) Thanks honey!



Then last Friday Nathan won 3 tickets from work for another Memphis Basketball game. That meant it was going to be a boy's night out. It just so happened to be Jaxon's weekend with his "Travelling Bear" from school, so Harley got to go to the FedEx Forum too. Since they had their boy's night, Keilee was asked what we were going to do for our girl's night. She informed the boys that we were going to paint our toe nails and go shopping! And that we did!


Saturday the whole family went over to a family in the ward's house, who hosts BYU football games with socializing and food. Straight from there, we dropped Andrew and Nathan off at the church to head off to a Riverking's hockey game. Andrew's cubscout troop all went together as one of their activities.

Whew! as time goes by, and the kids get older,...I thought they were going to be more independent, so I wouldn't be so busy, but in seems to be the opposite. It seems like there's always something going on!

Finally captured it!

Caleb has been smiling for a few weeks now, but he will never cooperate when I want to take pictures of it. This morning I finally got it- he is a cutie! He is such a sweet baby,though he still thinks night is from 4-9 pm, then wants to play when I finally get to sleep, but he'll figure it out soon enough.

In other news... not much out of the ordinary. We spent Saturday decorating a float for the Christmas parade that Courtney and Aubrey will ride on with their girl scout troop. It was fun and the girls are excited. Then, Courtney and I went and made cookies for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. We went there in August for the kids to hang out while Mark and I visited Caleb in the NICU, so it was nice to go do something for them.

We were almost adopted by a kitten this week. An adorable little one showed up one day after school. The kids and their friends played with it all afternoon and each kid begged their parents to keep it. I said no and so did all the other moms, so it was outside all night, then the next morning it was crying at my door again. The boys played with it all day and when we went to pick up Aubrey, it followed us all the way to school. My defenses were weakening but I really did not want to keep it. Luckily, a little boy picked it up on the way home from school, but he must have been told no as well, so the kitten showed up at a friend of ours down the street. They could not keep it, but another neighbor boy took it and his mom said they could keep it until they found the owner. Well, they are now the owners! I am just glad that someone took it. Makes me appreciate more mom and dad letting us have kittens over the years...

Family photo Shoot

So we had some family photos done about a month ago, they didn't turn out as good as I was hoping, but they are not too bad. Between the infamous Rexburg wind, and 2 cranky kids the photographer was in for a challenge. She did well though and since we got them done for free we really can't complain! Here are some of the shots, sorry there are so many, I had a hard time choosing!

Other than that, not much going on here, Same old thing. I took Asher to his regular 6 month well child check and he gained a pound and a half in 10 days. I guess the formula is doing the trick. He also just started eating his baby food and he is loving the kinds he has had so far. Ayana is fun and wonderful as always, I am always amazed at what a good kid she is. Yes she has her 2 year old tantrums from time to time and she doesn't always listen as quickly as I would like her to, but she is a very wonderful and obedient child. She is also a lot of fun. She recently learned what Sharks are and now she loves to look at me from across the room and yell "SHARK" before running at me at full sped and biting my leg (playfully of course). Yesterday we got our first good snow and we took her out sledding and she had a blast. Even when she would trip or fall off the sled and get a face full of snow she would just jump up yell out that she is okay and keep on going. Asher is starting to love playing with toys and things, he is always grabbing everything he can reach and that kid has a grip you can hardly believe. Sometimes I have to really work to get things out of his grip once he has them. We are having a bit of a tough time trying to figure out what to get him for Christmas, so any suggestions would be great. Trever is off school for the week so I am excited to spend lots of time with him and get some extra sleep. This is the crazy week at work with Black Friday coming up we have loads to do, and then on Friday morning I will be there to see all the insanity first hand. It is really crazy to me how people act just for a sale. I love a good deal too, but I am not ready to sit outside a store for 5-6 hours and then practically beat down a door, then run screaming to the part of the store where my item is, just a little too much for my taste. Watching as a store employee is both scary and funny all at the same time. We are just going to have quiet thanksgiving at home with our little family (and WAY too much food). Then Saturday morning we are off on a mini vacation to Salt Lake to do some Christmas shopping and see the lights at temple square. It will be a short trip but we found a cheap hotel room, so we are excited for a little break form the hum drum of every day life. Anyway, that's all for now, love you guys!

As Thanks giving approaches I can't tell you how much I wish each of you could be here to share our turkey. You are all my greatest blessings and I am so thankful for each of you!!!!!!!!!!!

It has finally warmed up a little here after a week of well below zero temperatures. The daycare got crazier every day with the kids being inside continously. The furnace(at work) kept going off so several times a day we had to run down the basement and push reset. Luckily it always started. They finally got it going right on Friday, we hope. Anyway today it is about 20 degrees and it feels great. I am sure it will get windy so it will bring the wind chill back down below zero.

I am still working on projects in the garage and am hoping to be close to done by the end of next weekend. I keep thinking of one more thing I want to try to do so it is never ending.
The kids probably won't enjoy the things I have made nearly as much as I have enjoyed making them. I sure don't miss the shopping part. Hopefully, it hasn't been too much stress for you.

Dad is almost done with his fishing pole so he is really getting excited about trying it out in the spring. I still think a long stick would be just as good.

I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving.
I Love You.

Mom